Cause of Ferry Crash Unknown

Monday, May 08, 2006

The cause of the May 6 ferry crash at Pier 43 in San Francisco, which injured nine people, will not be known for at least several days, a spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard said. The crash occurred at 4:22 p.m. when the Baylink ferry bound for Vallejo was backing out into the bay. Passengers said the ferry did not maneuver properly and hit the pier several times before a tugboat pushed it back into its berth. The captain, Philip Strickland Johnson, was reported by passengers to have issued a warning on the loudspeaker prior to the impact. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle)